There’s a new force in Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3. For years, it was Lancaster Catholic running roughshod over the competition in the Section, however their move up to Section 2 a few years ago created a void for someone to fill. Enter the Northern Lebanon Vikings.
For the last two seasons, the Vikes have laid claim to the Section 3 title, with hopes of adding a third straight this year. While the ultra-intense Friday nights of inter-section games are not here quite yet, which will include Lancaster Catholic once again in 2016, Northern Lebanon was looking to get off of the right foot by replicating their recent success when they made the trip to Pine Grove for the inaugural “Week 0.”
On the Vikings’ initial drive of the game, it looked like NL would make quick work of the Cardinals with Northern Lebanon quarterback Michigan Daub getting big chunk plays keeping it out of the shotgun spread. However, when NL went to the air, it was a different set of circumstances. Pine Grove picked off a pass courtesy of a deflection, not even a minute into the ballgame.
The game giveth and the game taketh away. On the very next play,an errant Pine Grove toss resulted in NL being back in business at the Pine Grove 29, when Daub recovered the loose ball. Northern Lebanon made the most of their good fortune when Daub hooked up with Christian Trader for a game of pitch and catch to put NL up 6-0 with 9:07 to go in the first.
Following a successful onside kick after the initial score, NL mounted another drive thanks in large part to another tipped pass, this time going in NL’s favor, as wideout Will Thompson came down with it inside the Cardinal 10 for a big gainer. Later in the drive, facing a third & Goal from the seven, Daub kept it himself and tallied his second TD of the night to put Northern Lebanon up 12-0 with 5:07 to go in the first.
Not only had Northern Lebanon gotten a two touchdown advantage, but they had also played a great game of keep away from Pine Grove, who’s only offensive play of the night to that point was the aforementioned fumble.
After Daub’s second touchdown, Pine Grove was able to mount a drive of their own. Cardinal quarterback Jacob Leininger scrambled out of pressure, as he did a handful of times successfully throughout the night, to take Pine Grove down to the Viking 38. The Cardinal march stalled however and was eventually put to a close by Luke Funck and Hunter Wallace combining to stuff the Pine Grove 4th & 1 attempt.
Some of the same elements showed up once again the next time Pine Grove series, namely Leininger scrambling out of the pocket to put the Cardinals in great shape just outside the redzone at the Viking 22.
Faced with a 4th & 1 from the 12, Pine Grove turned to running back Cameron Lutz who bolted through the line to take it down to the one. From there, Lutz finished it off with a 1 yard dive to make it 12-6 NL, after the 3rd straight unsuccessful point after try between the two teams.
At that moment, it was time for arguably one of the best running backs in the Lancaster-Lebanon League, Luke Funck, to make his first big splash play of the year. Funck turned it up outside left and there was nobody home to stop him as he rumbled 62 yards to the house, just 57 seconds following the Pine Grove score to make it 18-6 Vikings which was the score at halftime.
Pine Grove would get the ball out of the halftime break and needed to mount a successful drive with the game hanging in the balance. Luckily for the Cardinals’ sake, that proved to be the case.
Pine Grove running back Delson Mitchell had an impressive run, breaking through Viking tackles down to the NL 12. Mitchell would go on to cap the nearly four minute drive with a touchdown to make it 18-13 Northern Lebanon, with momentum clearly swinging over to the Pine Grove sideline.
Facing a 3rd & 9 on the ensuing drive, the game changed on a dime when Daub found Dawson Else behind the secondary for the huge 54 yard TD strike. After a Funck run on the two point conversion, Northern Lebanon had suddenly doubled up Pine Grove 26-13 with 6:37 showing on the third quarter clock.
Pine Grove was never able to muster anything after the score, and Daub went on to account for his 4th TD of the night. The Daub to Trader connection worked yet again, this time from 41 yards out, to end the scoring on the night giving Northern Lebanon the 32-13 victory, which was not as easy as the final score might indicate.
“First of all, I have to give credit to Pine Grove,” Northern Lebanon coach Roy Wall said postgame. “They’ve really improved a lot since last year. It was a dog fight.”
NEXT UP:
Northern Lebanon will now have the newly implemented bye week before getting ready to square off against fellow Lebanon County mate Cedar Crest on September 9th.
Pine Grove looks to rebound next week at home against Halifax, who rolled over rival Millersburg 39-6 in a critical game in the District 3 A ranks Week 1.
